Stay in a supremely eccentric hotel in the wonderfully historic city of Chester

Spend time in the company of Oddfellows

A proud Neoclassical pile in a city full of wonky medieval buildings, Chester’ 20 Bridge Street already stands out. That it houses a hotel celebrating individuality with all the exuberance of the Mad Hatter is most apt. Named after the ‘friendly society’ that once headquartered here, Oddfellows confounds expectations from the front door: the reception desk is fashioned out of an aeroplane wing and sits below levitating typewriters, while huge murals of birds and foxes line the wood panelled bar. The bedrooms are full of quirks, from in-room roll-top baths to supplies labelled ‘Eat me’ and ‘Drink me’ in mini-bars hidden in fling cabinets. The bright restaurant juts out into the hotel’s garden, and does magical things with excellent local produce, from Welsh beef to ox cheeks. Newly opened apartments are just a short stroll away. Spacious, quiet and with all the personality of the hotel, these are a great refuge when you finally tire of all that friendly society in the main building.